She grew intoxicated at the banquet.

"A lady of noble upbringing knows the rules of propriety. In such settings, you would navigate with effortless grace."

Mo Zhicheng looked at her, probing the meaning behind her words. "You mean Tingyu?"

Linglan turned her face away, falling silent. Her words had been insincere, and Mo Zhicheng took her hand. "Do you truly wish I had brought another woman, hmm?" He chuckled, then asked, "Why do I detect a hint of bitterness in your tone? Do you care?"

"What?"

"Do you care whether I bring another woman?" Mo Zhicheng asked with a smile, eyeing the subtle changes in her expression.

Linglan did not respond. Whether he spoke or she remained silent, she could not convince herself.

The more ambiguous his relationship with Leng Tingyu became, and the more the outside world buzzed with rumors, the more suffocating the tightness in her chest grew. She tried to restrain it, to suppress it, but that only made her feel more out of control.

Unable to respond, she looked away, staring thoughtfully at the vast, dark night outside the window, feeling only his hand gripping hers, rubbing against her skin.

Their one-month agreement was drawing closer day by day.

—One month. After one month, you will leave, and I will not stop you again.

In the dozens of days they had spent together, living under the same roof—she washing his clothes, he preparing meals for her—every scene was etched clearly in her memory.

She gazed at the endless nightscape. Beside the bustling, traffic-filled streets, an elderly couple, hair white with age, leaned on each other, walking with a faltering, unsteady gait beneath the plane trees. A row of streetlamps cast orange light through the gaps in the leaves, falling in flickering patterns onto the mottled road. In this lifetime, has there ever been someone who made you want to "hold hands and grow old together"?

Mo Zhicheng watched her silence from the side. She was different from other women; she was not clamorous. When she was quiet, you might even feel she lacked presence, as if the entire world were a silent film to her.

The Bentley came to a stop, and Mo Zhicheng noticed her slight hesitation. He opened the door for her.

Linglan followed behind him. As they entered the venue, people moved about. From time to time, Mo Zhicheng whispered introductions, telling her which guests were government officials from Nanjiang and which were business magnates. It was her first time attending such an important banquet with him; she felt a faint nervousness, yet she maintained a calm, composed demeanor, displaying an elegant, gentle smile.

Mo Zhicheng remained the center of attention, especially since he rarely brought a female companion—usually, it was Tang Pei who accompanied him. When Linglan stepped into view, she drew a wave of interest.

The other two gambling industry giants, Yu Ye of the Yu family and He Sheng, the executive president of "The Grand World," were also accompanied by famous socialites. Those beauties were all sophisticated and charming, but Linglan’s beauty was gentle, refined, and understated, drawing many inquisitive gazes from the men present.

Yu Ye, the youngest of the Yu family, in his early thirties and a well-known bachelor in the circle, was accompanied by a stunningly vibrant woman who smiled enchantingly. Yet, as Mo Zhicheng approached, Yu Ye’s gaze couldn't help but fall on Ye Linglan. Accustomed to the intoxicating, seductive red rose, one is naturally drawn to the elegant and refined white rose.

Mo Zhicheng noticed the man's playful gaze, the excitement of a hunter who had finally spotted his prey.

Following his gaze, Mo Zhicheng looked at Ye Linglan. She seemed completely unaware of the man's curiosity, yet she stopped beside him, looking at Yu Ye.

In truth, Linglan had accompanied Mo Zhicheng to the banquet to secretly clarify her own suspicions.

For instance, the Yu family had been courting Secretary Qin to suppress Mo Zhicheng’s business expansion. So, what was Secretary Qin’s intention in inviting the three major gambling giants to the banquet tonight?

Furthermore, she wanted to take this opportunity to meet with the leaders of the Yu family and "The Grand World." Therefore, when Yu Ye cast his predatory look, Linglan met his gaze and offered a slight, elegant smile, without crossing any lines. Yu Ye felt a bit distracted. Even when he turned back to Mo Zhicheng, his eyes lingered on Linglan. He smiled and said, "Mr. Mo, it’s been a long time."

Mo Zhicheng caught the exchange of glances between the two and his expression darkened. However, he maintained his composure while dealing with Yu Ye, offering a polite smile instead. He reached out to shake Yu Ye's hand, while subtly positioning his body to block Linglan. After a few insincere pleasantries, Yu Ye laughed and complimented, "Mr. Mo's companion is very beautiful. May I ask for an introduction?"

The smile on Mo Zhicheng’s lips froze. Seeing he wouldn't speak, Linglan took the initiative. "Mr. Yu, hello. I am Mr. Mo’s subordinate." Linglan handed her business card to Yu Ye. "It is a pleasure to meet you tonight. I have often heard Mr. Mo mention you. My surname is Ye; you may call me Xiao Ye."

It was merely a formal introduction. Although Linglan spoke with ease, she disliked such occasions—the hypocrisy and the insincerity. For example, the outside world knew that "Tiancheng" had once disrupted the traditional marketing model of the gambling industry, and the competition between the Yu family and "Tiancheng" was becoming increasingly bitter and irreconcilable. Yet, when the two met, the surface was calm and peaceful.

Linglan did what was expected of her flawlessly. Unexpectedly, Yu Ye went to shake her hand. Linglan hesitated, and in that fleeting moment, she glanced at Mo Zhicheng. His deep eyes were filled with suppressed anger. She ignored it and politely shook the man's hand, but Yu Ye gripped it tightly, rubbing his palm against hers. Linglan’s brows furrowed slightly, and she looked up at the man. "Mr. Yu," she said softly, signaling him to let go. Her tone was so soft and melodious that to others, it carried a hint of coy reluctance.

Mo Zhicheng watched his delicate hand being tightly gripped by the man, his eyes darkening to an unreadable depth. He looked up at Yu Ye’s companion, masked his anger, and laughed coldly. "Mr. Yu, you seem to have left your own companion in the cold. That doesn't seem like your style."

Yu Ye slowly released Linglan, joking playfully, "Xiao Ye, your Mr. Mo is too strict in his ways. With such a boss, it’s hard to know what he’s thinking. I’m tempted to poach you. Xiao Ye, consider the Yu family when you have time; I’m much more interesting than Mr. Mo." On the surface, it was a joke, but every word carried sarcasm and disdain. "Mr. Mo, you wouldn't mind, would you?"

Linglan returned a faint smile, though she smelled the faint scent of gunpowder. She knew Mo Zhicheng was usually low-key, but he suddenly wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her into his embrace. A charming, shallow smile played on his lips as he leaned into her ear, whispering with a low laugh, "Whether I am interesting or not, don't you know better than anyone? Why so quiet now? Tell Mr. Yu just how intimate we really are."

A flush of red immediately stained her cheeks. Seeing their intimate posture, Yu Ye’s smile faded. His companion, seeing the atmosphere crackling like sparks in a fire, was quick to read the room. She moved closer to Yu Ye, took his arm, and said in a faux-sweet voice, "Alright, Mr. Yu, it seems Mr. Mo treasures his talent too much to let go. Why force the issue? Secretary Qin is here, and we are the only ones left to be seated."

The beauty smoothed things over at the right moment, a glimmer of light flashing in her phoenix-like eyes.

Mo Zhicheng glanced at Yu Ye, gave a faint smile, and led Linglan away. She followed his pace, but felt the grip on her waist tighten painfully. She frowned and whispered, "Mr. Mo, let go."

Unexpectedly, the man stopped. As he let her go, he turned to stare at her. Linglan consciously avoided the heat in his eyes, but he leaned in close to her ear and whispered, "I'll settle the score with you when we get home."

The banquet began.

Linglan looked at the oldest man at the head of the table—that was Secretary Qin. Seated beside him was his secretary, and the others included Mo Zhicheng, Yu Ye, He Sheng, and a few accompanying staff.

After the toasts began, Linglan calmed herself to listen to their back-and-forth. Secretary Qin stated that this was a banquet of gratitude, claiming that Nanjiang’s economic leap could not have happened without the support of its leading enterprises. Linglan pondered: Secretary Qin was an old fox, honey-mouthed but dagger-hearted. Even if he suppressed Mo Zhicheng, it was all part of giving a slap followed by a piece of candy to appease him.

Linglan secretly glanced at Mo Zhicheng, trying to gauge his expression. He already possessed evidence of Secretary Qin’s illegal activities. Would he hand it over or not?

If he handed it over and Secretary Qin fell, the Yu family would be damaged, but how confident would Mo Zhicheng be in securing the land for urban development? For the first time, she felt the cutthroat nature of the business world, where few people were truly sincere. One careless step, and you were surrounded by enemies on all sides.

Mo Zhicheng remained calm and unruffled, as if nothing could disturb him.

Throughout the meal, glasses clinked and toasts were exchanged.

It was her first time seeing him socialize at a banquet. Watching him down drink after drink, she recalled that he had once suffered from a perforated stomach, and a sharp pain tugged at her heart.

She took the initiative to intercept his drinks. "Mr. Mo has been unwell lately. I will toast everyone on his behalf."

Yu Ye looked at her, clapping his hands lightly, and said with a smile, "So, Miss Ye is not only beautiful but also drinks with such gusto."

Consequently, the people at the table took turns toasting her.

"Mr. Yu, you are teasing me again."

Linglan returned a faint smile. Just as she picked up her glass to drink, she felt her left hand, which was under the table, gripped tightly by the man. She saw Mo Zhicheng out of the corner of her eye; his face remained expressionless, but the strength with which he held her made her frown in pain.

Fearing he would continue to drink, Linglan stubbornly drained the glass. As she wiped the liquid that had spilled onto her lips, she felt Mo Zhicheng’s gaze locked firmly onto her. She looked at him, and their eyes met for an instant. She froze, seeing that his calm expression was now tinged with displeasure.

When they left the table, Linglan was already hazy with intoxication. Mo Zhicheng helped her into the Bentley.

On the road, she was restless in her drunken state, her body burning as if on fire, the flush on her cheeks spreading all the way to her snowy earlobes. Squinting her eyes, she leaned toward Mo Zhicheng, wrapping her arms around his, refusing to let go. She buried her face in his shoulder like a child, craving the familiar scent of him. Slowly closing her eyes, she felt a wave of dizziness and murmured, "I blocked the drinks for you, but you don't seem happy."

Mo Zhicheng turned his head to look at her. Her languid posture only highlighted a woman’s delicate beauty, her cheeks flushed with a bewitching color, her arms locked tightly around his wrist, refusing to let go.